


More Than This (Whatever It Is)

by ourhospitality



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Drinking, M/M, Minor Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Slow Burn, Texting, but kuroken and bokuaka are featured, iwaoi is the main relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-03 07:50:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10962882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ourhospitality/pseuds/ourhospitality
Summary: After a few swipes, one person stands out to him—a dark haired man in a tank top with a tense yet handsome face.Tooru realizes a moment too late that he’s wearing a smile to match the emojis he just sent.“Caught one on your hook already, hmm?” Kuroo says. “I’ll try not to pity him too much.”“Kuroo, you’re my best friend, but you’re also the biggest asshole I know.”“Isn’t thatwhyI’m your best friend?”In which Tooru is not a genius, Iwaizumi takes professionalism a little too seriously, and Kuroo and Bokuto are (arguably) the best roommates anybody could ask for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snowapples](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowapples/gifts).



> Loosely based on something that happened to one of my roommates, god forbid he ever reads this. Title from the song "Rain" by MIKA.
> 
> Rating may go up in the future, if it does I'll warn for it in the beginning!

To say that Tooru is irritated would be an understatement.

This day marks the third time he’s been dumped within the course of one month, this time by a girl he’d started to feel a semblance of connection with. College dating isn’t always a cakewalk, but _come on._

Tooru purposefully makes a lot of noise as he stomps into his new apartment, knowing he’s being a little childish. He deserves this much at least. It takes a little effort to amplify the sound of socks on tile in the hallway and kitchen, but it’s worth it. 

When he finds Kuroo sitting on the couch in the living room, Tooru drops heavily down into the armchair and crosses his arms with a huff.   

“Ok, I’m done. Done with dating.”

Kuroo smirks, glancing up from the papers spread haphazardly across the coffee table in front of him. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.”

“Glad to hear it,” Kuroo says, his voice teasing. Even when focused on something else, he’s invariably always ready to needle or mock Tooru in some way. “You just moved in and I could’ve sworn we gained new tenants on the lease with how many people you bring over.” 

Kuroo receives a pout and a half-hearted glare for that.

Tooru sighs. The comment is true enough—he hasn’t lived in the apartment for long, but he’s certainly made himself right at home. Thankfully, Kuroo and Bokuto are already the most chill roommates he’s ever had, if you disregard the ridiculous parties they like to host.

It helps that the three of them get along like a house fire, constantly trying to one-up each other but also proving to be as ridiculously close as friends can possibly be.

Tooru smooths a hand over his hair, pretending to be contemplative.

“Alright, you got me. I’m not done dating,” Tooru says. His pout turns into a grin. “I’m just done dating girls! It’s time for me to move on to better and brighter pastures.”

Kuroo scoffs just as their other roommate walks into the room. Bokuto places a hand over his heart in mock offense. “What do you have against girls?”

“The two of you are literally both dating dudes.”

“And? That doesn’t stop us from appreciating girls just as much,” Bokuto continues, looking to Kuroo for support.

“He’s only being like this because girls see through him so quickly,” Kuroo snickers. He turns back to Tooru and raises his eyebrows. “Good luck finding a guy oblivious enough to miss all your blinding personality flaws.”

Tooru _knows_ Kuroo is just egging him on, a frequent occurrence in their friendship, but he takes the bait anyway. He yanks his phone from his pocket with determination and slumps further down in his seat. He’d downloaded a dating app a few weeks ago in a brief moment of defeat, but his pride had kept him from actually deciding to use it until now.

It couldn’t hurt, he supposes.

“I am so going to prove you wrong there, my dear Kuroo-chan. Also, my personality is flawless.”

“Yes, of course,” Kuroo responds, attention already back on his homework. Bokuto sits down next to him and leans back into the cushions, relaxed.

Tooru focuses on the app, figuring out how it works and creating a profile in short order. He picks a recent selfie for his display picture and begins flipping through other profiles quickly, in a rush to get results he can shove in Kuroo’s face. A number of artfully taken selfies fly by under his fingers as he skims, most striking him as contrived or below his (admittedly high) standards.

After a few swipes, however, one person stands out to him—a dark haired man in a tank top with a tense yet handsome face. His picture shows him mostly from the side, looking down with one of his hands carding through his short hair. Tooru marvels at the curve of his back and his toned, tanned arms before tapping on the profile.

“Damn,” Tooru mumbles as new pictures pop into view, all similarly flattering. He clicks through a few in appreciation, pulling the phone in closer to himself when Bokuto swoops in for a peek.

“Aw come on, Oikawa, learn to share a little,” Bokuto laughs, pawing for the phone.

“You have a cute boyfriend already,” Tooru whines as he pushes Bokuto away. “And this one is too good, I’m keeping him for myself thank you very much.”

Bokuto moves away to join Kuroo back on the couch. “Sure, sure. I suppose we’ll be seeing him around here a lot anyway if you manage to snag him.”

“And snag him I shall,” Tooru responds. He taps on the chat icon, fingers hovering over the keyboard. _I’ll show these two how it’s done,_ he thinks, ignoring the fact that Kuroo and Bokuto are already in committed relationships. He does need to make a good impression if he’s going to prove them wrong. In a fleeting hope for inspiration, Tooru glances at the username— **iwa_h**.

Cute. Here goes nothing. 

 

**you** : hey there iwa-chan!!

**you** : can i call u iwa-chan??

**you** : i see that ur in my area

**you** : i also see that ur v attractive~

**you** : we’d look real good standing next 2 each other what do ya say

**_iwa_h:_** _in answer to your first question, please_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _please don’t call me that_

 

Tooru waits a minute before responding, when it seems like **iwa_h** isn’t going to continue.

 

**you:** and y not??

**you:** what can i call u then 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _my username is just fine_

**you:** boring~

**_iwa_h:_** _yeah, that’s me_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _still interested?_

**you:** absolutely

**you:** what would u say to getting drinks? 

 

There is another pause in the conversation, and Tooru prays **iwa_h** isn’t reconsidering. Well, Tooru reminds himself, he may not have even been considering anything in the first place.

 

**you:** ….coffee?? 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _unfortunately i’ll be out of town for awhile_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _not against getting to know you on here though_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _if you’re so inclined_

**you:** yes

**you:** i mean, i would love to get to know u

**you:** iwa_h

**you:** u mysterious man u

**you:** call me by my username too then so we match

**_iwa_h:_ ** _crappy-kawa_

**you:** excuse u did u read wrong

**you:** it’s cutie-kawa thanks

**you:** fits me real well ;)

**_iwa_h:_ ** _sure_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _listen i have to go but feel free to message me if you’d like_  

**you:** i hope ur prepared for me 2 take u up on that

**you:** :) :) :)

 

Tooru realizes a moment too late that he’s wearing a smile to match the emojis he just sent. Kuroo huffs out a laugh when he notices, his signature cheshire grin materializing. Bokuto looks up and manages to catch Tooru’s smile transforming into a frown. 

“Caught one on your hook already, hmm?” Kuroo says. “I’ll try not to pity him too much.”

“Kuroo, you’re my best friend, but you’re also the biggest asshole I know.”

“Isn’t that _why_ I’m your best friend?”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

  

\---------------------------------------

 

Every once in awhile Tooru finds himself bored at work. Okay, scratch that, pretty much every shift he works turns into a monotonous drag, threatening to leave him alone with his thoughts if he’s not careful. There’s only so many things he can distract himself with at the library’s front desk, and currently none of them are doing anything for him.

What was his reasoning for applying to this job again? _Convenience. Right._ Something about being right on campus and having all the research material he might ever need at his fingertips. That, and he was allowed to do homework or, better yet, fool around on his phone.

Which brings Tooru to his latest conundrum: how to flirt when he's actually intent on trying to get to know someone, beyond just convincing them to hook up with him.

**Iwa_h** had sent him a few messages a short time ago in response to his own simple “hey ;)”, and Tooru has spent far too many minutes formulating the best response in his head. Normally he would have immediately texted back whatever his impulsive self decided at that moment. This time, though, is different, and he's still not quite sure why.

It may be related to him being dumped just two days ago? That's about as far as Tooru will allow himself to self-analyze. He picks up his phone in defiance.

 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _finally got a break to talk_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _it's been a crazy busy couple of days_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _how are you today?_  

**you:** honestly im about 2 die of boredom

**you:** pls help iwa-chan ur my only hope

**_iwa_h:_ ** _ok_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _crappykawa_  

**you:** :<

**_iwa_h:_ ** _what are you up to that’s so boring?_

**you:** workin at the library

**you:** i like being able to study while i work

**you:** but GOD its so quiet im bout 2 snap

**_iwa_h:_ ** _it is a library after all_

**you:** iwa-chan i need ur help not ur snark

**you:** entertain me

**you:** send pics ;) 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _not… right now_

 

Tooru prays that means he’ll get some choice selfies later. The prospect sends a small thrill through him, but for now he’s content to chat **iwa_h** up.

 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _you’re a university student, aren’t you?_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _what are you studying_

**you:** the stars ~ 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _like, seriously_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _astronomy or something?_

**you:** yeah dude astrophysics is my JAM

**you:** romantic, right???

**you:** gonna b a professional stargazer 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _sounds like a solid plan_

 

Does he actually mean that? Or is it sarcasm? There’s not a lot of people in Tooru’s life who respect the decisions he’s made as an adult so far, especially the one to study astronomy. _He_ thinks he made a perfect choice; nothing has made him as happy since he played volleyball, but most people just don’t get it. It’s hard to tell which side of the fence **iwa_h** sits on.

 

**you:** wait really?

**_iwa_h:_ ** _yeah? i don’t see why not_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i think you should always chase after what you love_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _as long as you don’t hurt yourself doing it_

 

That hits a little too close to home—he probably could’ve used someone to tell him that a few years ago. Tooru actively ignores the thought. 

 

**you:** wow iwa-chan so wise

**you:** any more pearls of wisdom ud like 2 bestow

**_iwa_h:_ ** _ha no that’s about it_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _the only wisdom i have is from experience_

**you:** well

**you:** i like a guy with experience

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i’m sure_

**you:** thanks for the support tho

**you:** and stuff

**you:** ill show u the stars sometime ;)

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i might be up for that_

**you:** PLEASE my roomies nvr want 2 go!

**you:** and i hav the perfect spot for it

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i’ll keep that in mind_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _there’s probably a night i’ll be free_

**you:** theres a meteor shower in like a month!!

**you:** ahh not that u hav 2 put it on ur schedule

**you:** just a… heads up..

**_iwa_h:_ ** _we can plan on that for now_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i’d like to meet you sooner though_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _if you’d still like to_

**you:** yeah! i mean, whenever ur around

**you:** im flexible

**_iwa_h:_ ** _well i like a guy who’s flexible_

**you:** omg

 

So he _does_ know how to flirt. The response earns a small, elated laugh from Tooru—who knew **iwa_h** could be so cute? Well, Tooru would be remiss to say that he didn’t already think that, but the more they talk the easier their camaraderie becomes. He realizes that he’s having more fun than he expected while chatting, and that his work shift has flown by.   

Unfortunately, that means he has class soon—the type of class he has to _pay attention_ during.

 

**you:** i didnt kno u had that in u iwa-chan

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i’m a man of many surprises_

**you:** ur lucky i like surprises

**you:** just wait im goin 2 figure u and ur mysteries out

**you:** im very good at that

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i look forward to your attempts_

**you:** ur on

**you:** i gotta go tho :’(

**you:** the curse of a student

**you:** u can send me pics in the meantime :D

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i’ll consider it_

**you:** NICE 

\---------------------------------------

 

Oikawa is not exactly known for making the wisest decisions. Which is perhaps the reason why he decided to move in with Kuroo and Bokuto. It’s only been a few weeks and already the excitement in Tooru’s life has increased exponentially.

More excitement isn’t _that_ much of an issue, since Tooru was frankly worried that his last university year was going to drag on. Astronomy may be interesting, but months of lectures to listen to and papers to work on made it necessary for him to find people to commiserate with.

Enter Kuroo—Tooru’s best friend since meeting him in the science building’s computer lab one late night, three years ago—with an offer to get Tooru out of his aunt’s house and into a three bedroom apartment along with Bokuto. It turned out one of Bokuto’s friends, Semi Eita, had signed the lease and now needed a subleaser because he’d been accepted to study abroad.

“We got a really good rent deal at this place, and you’re the next best option after Semi,” Kuroo had said. “Well, you’re actually nothing like Semi. But I’ve already convinced Bokuto that you’d be a great addition to our place.”

“I’m sure that didn’t take long. I’m willing to bet you took more time convincing yourself.”

Kuroo had laughed at that. “True, that. I just happen to know how bad we can get with all three of us together. There’s a reason Kenma or Akaashi aren’t moving in—they can’t even handle two of us at a time.”

Tooru had wondered at that for a moment, as he still didn’t know how Kuroo and Bokuto had managed to convince their boyfriends to date them in the first place. His thoughts backtracked to the first thing Kuroo had said—the shit the three of them got up to at parties was indeed pretty ridiculous, and it would likely only escalate once they lived together.

“How do you think your landlord will feel about this arrangement?” Tooru asked, trying to rule out any issues before he committed. The offer was honestly so tempting that there had to be a catch.

“Oh! He said as long as we figure it out and the rent gets paid he’ll be happy. He’s really relaxed—kind of intense when you first meet him, I suppose—but Semi knows him and says he’s cool with whatever.” Kuroo tapped his chin in thought. “I think it helps that he’s not much older than us? I haven’t seen him in awhile though, he’s been busy.”

So Tooru had said, “Alright, I’m sold. It’ll be nice to be closer to campus anyway,” and that’s how he’d found himself subleasing in a somewhat cramped but mostly comfy apartment, with two of his favorite medical students.

Two medical students who are currently pulling their hair out over research papers in the middle of the living room floor.

“Why?” Bokuto groans, flopping backwards and throwing two arms over his face. “Why did I think sports medicine was going to be easy?”

“I’ll trade you,” Kuroo says, curled up with a laptop and wearing the most exhausted expression Tooru’s ever seen him make. Kuroo is impossibly smart, but he apparently has his limits too.

“Keep your biomedical engineering homework away from me, I don’t want to catch anything.”

“That’s not how viruses work, I should know, I’m a—”

“Kuroo-chan, you can’t just tell people you’re a doctor. I’ve explained this before,” Tooru says cheerfully from his perch on the armchair. “Anybody could tell that you aren’t by taking one look at you.”

Kuroo side-eyes Tooru and shrugs. “Worked on Kenma.”

“Yeah, well you’re lucky he stuck around because I can _assure_ you he saw right through that lie the second it came out of your mouth.”

Kuroo hums noncommittally, then shakes his head at his computer in despair. He leans back and lets out a long sigh. “Alright, we’re gonna need to drink to forget after we get this all done. Tomorrow’s Saturday. What do you two say to a little party?”  

Tooru slams the book he’s holding shut. “You _know_ I’m down for that.”

Bokuto pops up at that proposal as well, eyes bright. “Why is that even a question? Oh! And the Tokyo men’s volleyball team is playing a match tomorrow, we can put that on TV while we drink.” He nods excitedly at his own suggestion.

“I suppose we should get Kenma and Akaashi’s opinion on who to invite, then,” Kuroo says. His eyes glint mischievously. “And Oikawa, how’s the mystery man you keep texting doing? Don’t think I haven’t noticed you mooning over your phone. You should invite him too.”

“He’s out of town,” Tooru posits immediately.

Well, he’s _pretty sure_ **iwa_h** is still out of town. He’ll ask him later, but for now Tooru wants to avoid any unnecessary badgering from his best friends.

He sure would like to see those muscles in person soon, though. Damn.

“Okay,” Kuroo says, eyebrows high. He looks unconvinced. “But you can’t get away with hiding him from us for too long. Bokuto and I need to give our approval.”

“You never did that with any of my other dates!”

“True, but you seem pretty serious this time.”

“I’m offended.”

“Is there any time when you’re not?”

“Akaashi’s up for it,” Bokuto interrupts. He’s looking down at his phone with far more concentration than he’d given his homework. “And—hey! So is Kenma. We should invite Yaku. Oh! And we should get Sugawara to come too, he makes the _best_ mixed drinks.”

Tooru thinks back to the last time he’d accepted a drink from Suga, and how quickly that night had gone from good to great. It probably wouldn’t lead to the _best_ decisions, but hopefully they’d have Yaku there to hold down the fort. As chill as Kuroo had made the landlord out to be, Tooru isn’t too keen on ruining his chance to get the security deposit back just a month into the sublease.

“It’s settled then,” Kuroo says, huddling back around his laptop. “Now let’s finish this shit so we can reap the rewards.”

  

\---------------------------------------

 

**you:** iwa-chan?

**you:** any chance that ur in town tomorrow?

**you:** we’re having a small party if ur interested

**_iwa_h:_ ** _please don’t call me that_

**you:** i know u like it 

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i wish i could come but i won’t be home until monday_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _we can meet up once i’m in town if you’d like_

**you:** yes!!

**you:** ill figure out a place so don’t u worry ;) 

 

\---------------------------------------

 

_~ Volleyball Idiots Group Chat ~_

 

_~_ **Kuroo** changed the chat name to _Oikawa Intervention Squad Chat ~_

 

**Kuroo:** **this isn’t actually an intervention I just want oikawa to open up a little**

**Kuroo:** **he won’t tell his best friend about his new boy toy**

**Kuroo:** **so I guess public shaming is the next step**

Oikawa: kindly fuck off

**Kuroo: T_T**

**Kuroo: you’re killing me here**

**_Kenma:_** **_oikawa-san please kuro won’t shut up about it_**

**_Kenma:_** **_i don’t need this in my life_**

Oikawa: how do u know i’m not making him up or something

Oikawa: i’m shocked u haven’t accused me of that yet

**Kuroo: sorry to break it to you oikawa but you’re really not that good at acting**

**Kuroo: I’ve literally never seen you like this before**

**Kuroo:** **guys he’s acting like bokuto did when he met akaashi**

_Akaashi: This is news to me_

_Akaashi: Tell me more_

Bokuto: adkfla;ds KUROO WHAT

Bokuto: DO YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT ME LIKE THIS WHEN I’M NOT HERE

Bokuto: also, it’s all lies akaashi dontlistentohim

**_Kenma: is this guy coming to the party_ **

**_Kenma:_** **_or do i need to suffer through more of kuro’s complaining_**

Oikawa: sorry 2 disappoint but no

Oikawa: at this rate honestly i may never let him meet u people

Oikawa: the way u all act smdh

**Kuroo: oikawa you’re literally the nosiest out of all of us**

**Kuroo: just for that you’re buying alcohol for tomorrow**

**Kuroo: sorry!! house rules**

Oikawa: is2g

  

\---------------------------------------

 

The sun is hanging high in the sky by the time Tooru wakes up the next day. Since he has a tendency to procrastinate more than his roommates, he had stayed up too late in the night to finish some of his own research. Kuroo had continued to insist that he buy the alcohol for the party today, so Tooru figures now is as good a time as any to grab some supplies.

A nice walk and some lunch beforehand would probably do him good as well, Tooru thinks as he pulls on jeans and a short-sleeved button-up.

There’s only a slight breeze weaving through the city streets. The weather has been warming up considerably, which usually improves Tooru’s mood.

His mood _does_ feel improved this afternoon, but the pleasant temperature by itself isn’t making him giddy. That might have something more to do with his success in getting **iwa_h** to agree to meet soon.

Not that he would ever let Kuroo or Bokuto come close to finding that out. It seems they have already made it their mission to ensure both that Tooru’s chances with the “mystery man” go well, and to find out who he is, in order to grill him before he “gets into Tooru’s pants.” And all of this is only because Tooru smiled one too many times while messaging him, or something.

Needless to say, Tooru isn’t exactly interested in opening up to his friends at the moment. Despite their (dubiously) good intentions.

Still, he can’t help but think back on the few conversations he’s had with **iwa_h** as he walks leisurely down the sidewalk. Tooru also can’t help but call him _Iwa-chan_ in his head, despite how many times he has insisted against it. Somehow it just fits, and Tooru is pretty sure Iwa-chan doesn’t actually mind.

He takes Tooru’s teasing nature in stride, a trait that Tooru finds himself valuing more than he previously thought. Time and time again when dating, he’s dialed back his personality to keep things running smoothly. Most people get along with Tooru—he’s a ray of sunshine after all—but not all of them have the same kind of patience Kuroo and Bokuto have with him on his bad days.

That may be because they are similar to him in a lot of ways. Iwa-chan, on the other hand, seems to be both patient and refreshingly candid, which had pulled Tooru’s devious side out of hiding almost immediately. It makes his heart beat a little faster, thinking about what an actual real life conversation could be like between the two of them.

Tooru shakes his head to release himself from the reverie, just in time to notice that he’s reached his destination—a cheery cafe on the street corner. He’s well aware that Sugawara is manning the register at this time and hopes he’s in a generous mood.

“Oh! Oikawa!” Sugawara says as soon as Tooru pops inside. His smile is blinding as always.

“Hey,” Tooru replies easily, walking up to the counter and grinning back. Sugawara is another one of those people he gets along with remarkably well—probably a little too well. While the guy is reliable and protective of his friends, he is also almost always up to _something._ “Any chance I can get lunch on the house? I can repay you with the alcohol I’m about to buy.”

“Ah yes, I’m playing bartender for everyone tonight, aren’t I? Think you can handle my famous mixers this time?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sure you don’t, I can’t imagine you’d remember any of that.” Sugawara winks, then turns momentarily professional again, hands poised over the register. “I should probably get your order before more customers come in. What are you hungry for today?”

Tooru doesn’t take long in deciding on his usual—a salad and a berry smoothie. Sugawara is just as adept at making smoothies as he is mixing drinks, which puts him high on Tooru’s list of favorite people.

As Sugawara turns to put the smoothie ingredients in a blender, he picks the conversation back up. “How many people are coming tonight? Your place isn’t very big, right?”

“Not really. I think there should be around ten of us? Probably for the best, since we don’t need things completely trashed right after we moved in.” Tooru somehow still hasn’t met their landlord, and he would rather their first encounter have nothing to do with something in the apartment being broken.

Sugawara pauses to turn on the blender for a few seconds, then pours the newly made smoothie into a cup. “Is your new boyfriend coming?”

“What?” _God damn it, Kuroo. Learn to keep your mouth shut._

“I heard you’ve been talking to someone! When can I meet him?”

Tooru sighs, defeated. Sugawara would probably keep asking until he got an answer, but he’s at least the type to keep a secret. Unlike Kuroo, apparently. “You can meet him after _I’ve_ actually met him. He’s been out of town.”

“Well, I look forward to it,” Sugawara says good naturedly as he hands Tooru the smoothie. “I haven’t seen you looking this happy in awhile.”

It seems that Tooru needs to tone down all the smiling he’s been doing lately.  

“I’m sure it’s just a trick of the light.” Tooru edges toward the door, smoothie in hand. He really isn’t ready to have this conversation. Especially not when Sugawara is being this genuine.

“Didn’t you want a salad? It’s on the house, remember,” Sugawara calls after him. Tooru falters for a second, but opts to escape while he can.

“I’m honestly not all that hungry right now. I’ll see you in a few hours, yeah?”

Tooru is outside before he gets a response. He knows he’s being a little rude, but he’s also sick of all the needling from his friends. Maybe he _is_ a bit happier than usual. So what? He doesn’t need to be interrogated. 

This could be a rebound from his recent breakup, for all they know.

Tooru ponders on this as he walks quickly in the direction of his favorite liquor store. If he’s being realistic, Iwa-chan is almost definitely _not_ a rebound, since he can’t remember a time when he’s needed one. In fact, the limited relationship he has with Iwa-chan now already feels more real than the majority of his romantic connections.

A breath rushes out of Tooru when that thought crosses his mind, stopping him in his tracks. Surely that can’t be true? He’s only been talking to Iwa-chan for about a week.

Still, it suddenly feels very important to Tooru that he not mess this up. He shakes himself and continues walking. If he hasn’t put Iwa-chan off with his nonsense yet, then he would prefer to keep it that way.

He brushes away the thoughts and feelings of dread once he’s inside the store, and focuses on finding the best liquor. Vodka is a must, since Tooru and Bokuto can never get enough of it, but Kuroo had begged for both gin and whiskey. It’s probably not the best idea, but Tooru can’t be bothered. He grabs a few different bottles and goes to pay for them, excitement for the party mounting.

It isn’t until he’s back outside that his anxiety resurfaces, taking over the excitement in a single wave. He swallows it down and takes the long way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fic I'm posting on this site and the first I've written for Haikyuu! You can thank snowapples for that because she cheered me on during the process :) 
> 
> I have quite a bit already written, so the next few chapters should be going up sooner rather than later. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! There were a few things I wanted to add to this chapter, but here it is - my apologies in advance for the angst, it will all turn out in the end. Eventually.

“What the hell, Kuroo?!” Bokuto is yelling, right after slapping a handful of cards down on the coffee table. “This is the fourth time in a row you’ve won! I _swear,_ if you’re cheating—”

“Volume, Bokuto!” Kuroo cuts in, just as loud. He looks gleeful as he moves his own cards aside and pulls the pile of bets towards him. “You know me, I’m just very good at what I do. With a little bit of luck, charm, and smarts, you _too_ can become an expert at poker.”

Yaku, who is seated with them around the coffee table along with Akaashi, leans dramatically away from the loud conversation. Tooru watches the scene with amusement from his favorite seat.

They’ve been at it for nearly an hour now; once somebody suggests card games it always takes forever to wind down. Tooru is just surprised that Akaashi agreed to play, though it probably has something to do with the way Bokuto’s hand is curled possessively on his thigh.

The volleyball match on TV ended ages ago, and everyone is now pleasantly buzzed—some maybe a little farther gone than others, if the increase in raucous voices can be used as an accurate measuring stick. Sugawara’s drink creations seem to be doing their jobs.

Sugawara and Yukie are currently holed up in the kitchen, likely sharing gossip as they finish up the spicy party snacks Bokuto made. Tooru can barely hear their muffled laughter under the continued bickering in the living room. On the floor between his legs, Kenma gives a long suffering sigh and tries to huddle closer to his handheld game console.

“Want me to do something about them?” Tooru mutters conspiratorially as he jostles Kenma with one of his knees.  

“If you get involved it’s only going to get worse,” Kenma grumbles back at him. “So thanks for the offer, but no.”

“Are you sure? I bet I could make them shut up for a minute or two at least. You’d be surprised how much blackmail I already have after a month of living with them.”

Kenma turns away from his game and levels him with a bored stare. “That doesn’t surprise me in the least. What _does_ surprise me is that you’re not currently participating in—that.” He waves in the general direction of Bokuto and Kuroo’s squabbling.

It’s a fair statement, since Tooru is usually in the middle of it all. He’s also usually a lot drunker by now; ready to challenge anyone to a dare or an argument that he’s sure to win. In fact, he prides himself on being the life of the party—it’s practically his _brand._

But for once he doesn’t feel an urge to join in on the antics.

The feeling of dread from earlier hasn’t quite managed to leave him, and while Tooru enjoys a good party with close friends, he’s notably distracted. His thoughts are still stuck on his compatibility and potential with Iwa-chan. So far the alcohol he’s consumed has only served to make him queasy, rather than set him at ease.

Tooru hums in answer to Kenma’s comment. “It looks like Yaku is doing a good job of taking my place tonight, anyway.” This is true—Yaku tends to take on a role of weary authority in their friend group, but at the moment he’s being just as unruly as the others. Things were going to get out of hand a lot faster than Tooru was expecting.

“Does that have anything to do with the new person you’ve been talking to?” Kenma asks, ignoring Tooru.

“No!” Tooru says, a bit too defensively, just as his phone buzzes in his hand.

“Ah. Is that him?”

“It’s—it’s my mom!”

“You haven’t even looked at the screen yet.”

“Intuition!”

“Ok,” Kenma responds, quickly losing interest. He picks his game back up and Tooru deflates.

It isn’t his mom, of course. It’s a notification from the dating app, the name **iwa_h** jumping off the screen. Tooru hurriedly unlocks his phone.

 

**_iwa_h:_** _so it looks like I’ll be back in town tomorrow evening_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i know it’ll be late and on a sunday, but_

**you:** iwa-chan, r u asking me on a date??

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i suppose i am_

 

Tooru feels his heart jump in his ribcage, surprised and delighted. It sounds like Iwa-chan wants to see him as soon as he’s home, and the prospect makes Tooru a little dizzy. Maybe he really is falling harder than he thought. _Or than I’m ready for,_ his mind offers. Still, the cadence of his heartbeat betrays how thrilled he is.

He stands up to pace while texting, restless.

 

**you:** i have some places in mind

**you:** ill let you pick

**you:** coffee or wine ;)?

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i could use some wine after the week i’ve had_

 

Tooru hopes fleetingly that he isn’t too hungover tomorrow.

 

**you:** sure thing :)

**you:** i can send u directions tomorrow

**you:** is 7:00 ok?

**_iwa_h:_ ** _sounds good to me_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _i’m sure i’ll be able to recognize you by your profile picture_

**_iwa_h:_ ** _unless you’re catfishing me or something with that… face of yours_

**you:** !!!! was that a compliment :0

**you:** iwa-chan im blushing

**you:** alright let me send u a pic hot off the press

 

There’s a convenient camera button in the app he’s using, so Tooru taps it and takes a hasty but acceptable selfie. He notices shortly after sending it that Kuroo is posing ridiculously in the background, eyes half-lidded and a knowing smirk on his face.

Tooru turns to give Kuroo the most scathing look he can manage, then quickly types out another text.

 

**you:** don’t mind my roomie in the background

**you:** he’s still learning his manners

 

A long pause in the text conversation follows, where Tooru assumes Iwa-chan is inspecting the photo. He thinks he looks pretty good in it, but he’s _just_ drunk enough that he can’t be sure. After he sits back down and several minutes pass, Tooru gets impatient and decides another picture might be necessary.

 

**you:** ahh here

**you:** here’s a better pic without a gross face behind me

**you:** just for u ;)))

 

It takes a full ten minutes before Tooru accepts that Iwa-chan isn’t going to respond. There’s probably an easy explanation for that—Iwa-chan’s phone dying in the middle of the conversation, for example. The important part is that he’d agreed to a date, and tomorrow Tooru will see him in person.

He tries to focus on this instead of coming up with a million reasons why Iwa-chan might want to stop talking to him.

He wasn’t coming on too strong, was he? None of the texts just now had been any more or less flirty than usual. They’d even traded a few selfies already, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

He is _definitely_ over-thinking things.

“How’s tall, dark and handsome doing?” Kuroo asks. He’s sitting on the couch with a new drink in his hands, Kenma half asleep against him and card games finally over. “I didn’t want to interrupt you before, seemed like you were having too much fun.”

“He’s great.” Tooru plasters on a venomous smile to ward him off. Then he frowns, replaying Kuroo’s words in his head. “And how did you know what he looks like? Have you been snooping through my phone?”

“Just a great guess. I’m sorry to inform you, but I’ve noticed you have a definite type.”

Well, that’s a thought that Tooru is happy to put away and unpack later. Does he really have a type? If he does, he’s certain that Iwa-chan meets all of the specifications.

That doesn’t make him feel any better right now, though. In fact, it makes him feel a whole lot worse. He finds himself checking his phone every other minute, anxiety growing. Maybe Iwa-chan just forgot to reply? Maybe Tooru’s selfie was so charming it spoke for itself?

Maybe Iwa-chan got bored with him after a week like every other romantic interest.

“Suga? Can I have another one of your mixers?” Tooru asks before Kuroo can tease him anymore. “And make it a strong one. Looks like I have some catching up to do.”

Sugawara, who is straddling the arm of the couch and laughing at something Yaku said, looks up and nods. There’s a twinkle in his eye, one that probably means Tooru is about to receive a very potent drink. At least he could count on Sugawara to be a team player.

Bokuto looks up at this too. “Finally joining the fun, Oikawa?”

“It’s about time, don’t you think?” Tooru grins, tamping down any residual speculation about the sudden radio silence from Iwa-chan. The urge to join in that he was missing before has now become a need to distance himself from his own thoughts.

“It sure is!” Bokuto says, his right arm slung around a patient Akaashi’s neck and his left pointing a dramatic finger at Tooru. “We’re roommates now! Let’s make this a night to remember!”

“Or to forget,” Kuroo tacks on.  

Tooru can get behind that, at least. He just needs to get on everyone else’s level and relax a little.

He stuffs his phone into his pocket and makes grabby hands as Sugawara walks into the room with a new drink. He downs half in one go as soon as he’s got ahold of it, only partially aware of Sugawara still standing there watching him.

The drink _is_ strong.

“I’ll… go get some water for everyone, too,” Sugawara laughs and walks back to the kitchen. Tooru is thankful that at least one of them here is capable of being responsible.

It doesn’t take long for Tooru to start noticing the effects of the extra alcohol. It warms his chest and cheers him up considerably, making him a little more like himself again. His smiles are given more freely, texts momentarily forgotten as he joins in on a drinking game Yaku starts. 

Not long after finishing the drink, but before he forgets the rest of the night, Tooru manages to convince himself that everything the next day will be fine. He _does_ always over think everything, after all.

 

\---------------------------------------

 

Tooru looks listlessly at the glass of wine in front of him, the second of the night so far. It's half empty, red, and just as bitter as the one before it.

Well, maybe a touch more bitter now that Tooru is pretty sure he's been stood up.

He should have figured this was where the night was heading when Iwa-chan failed to answer his texts this morning, and then proceeded to ignore Tooru’s message about the wine bar’s location. Now it's been nearly forty-five minutes since he arrived, with no sign of Iwa-chan turning up.

He sighs and swallows down another mouthful of cabernet. It's not the first time one of his dates hasn't shown up, but for some reason this one stings quite a bit more. Which probably has to do with the fact that he’d fantasized a little too much about their first meeting. All week.

That had to be it, right? Tooru isn't used to dating apps and the delayed gratification that comes along with them. He'd just built up Iwa-chan in his mind and is now being forced to face reality.

He flinches when he hears his phone buzz shortly, expecting the worst. It’s not far from it—a brief, lone message from **iwa_h** pops onto the screen: _sorry but i can’t make it._

Tooru waits for a few moments for a follow up text, one with some sort of explanation or a request to reschedule. Neither come.

He scrubs his hands over his face. _Classic. This is just classic._ Tooru’s well aware of the tactics used to avoid a date, or to break something off all together. Hell, he’s used most of those tactics himself. Iwa-chan isn’t interested anymore, and there would be no use in Tooru responding or asking to get together another time.

Iwa-chan probably wouldn’t even read it.

The bartender stops in front of him and his now empty wine glass. He looks up. “One more,” Tooru says before she can ask. He meets her gaze for a moment, trying to appear unbothered, but he can see the pity in her eyes.

Ok, so maybe Kuroo was right about how terrible he is at acting.

Tooru hunches his shoulders, any pretense of enjoyment deemed unnecessary. He bites the inside of his cheek a few times, the taste of iron mixing with the residual bitterness on his tongue. It’d probably be a good idea to head home soon. He doesn’t need to subject anybody to his bad mood right now—he knows how that usually goes. Most people have no idea how to deal with a sad Oikawa Tooru.

While waiting for the next drink, his fingers tap an irritated beat on the smooth bar surface. He recognizes the familiar edge of anger bubbling up in him like carbonation, a side-effect of his current emotional state. It feels a lot better, frankly, to let his temper boil rather than wallow in self pity. He at least knows how to deal with those emotions.

Frustration is practically a part of his daily routine, after all.

Damn, though. Just _once_ it would be nice for things to go the way he expects them to. Or rather, the way he wants them to. Who exactly does this **iwa_h** think he is, anyway? Not someone who deserves Tooru and his pretty face, that’s for sure.

The bartender returns after a few moments, glass of wine in hand. Tooru takes it gladly, rushing to gulp down more in an effort to sooth his churning thoughts. He feels a sense of déjà vu from the night before. He hadn't been planning on getting drunk two nights in a row, and certainly not on a Sunday, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

His fingers twitch after he sets the glass down, itching to pick up his phone and—well, do a thing he'd probably regret. He's no stranger to drunken mistakes in reaction to break-ups. This isn’t a break-up, though, as he’s been reminding himself over and over for the past half hour. No need for pettiness when it’s going to do nothing to make him happier, right?

Still, the compulsion to do _something_ is squirming under Tooru’s skin. It makes his fingertips prickle, so he grabs his phone and unlocks it to find a distraction. He actively avoids the dating app icon, opting instead for his roommate group chat.

That shouldn’t feel like such an accomplishment, but he’s proud of himself anyway.

 

Oikawa: have u seen what the weather's gonna be like this week??

Oikawa: we should have a picnic!

Oikawa: or better yet a barbecue!!

Oikawa: bokuto i haven't had ur yakiniku in for-ev-er

Bokuto: oh man I'm hungry now I am so down for that

Bokuto: wait why am I always the one who has to make food?

Bokuto: ALSO ARENT YOU ON A DATE

**Kuroo: wow rude oikawa**

**Kuroo: making bo cook for you AND ignoring your date**

 

As if _that_ isn't the furthest thing from the truth right now. Outside of Tooru asking Bokuto to cook, of course. He purses his lips, pretending he didn't feel the little twist of pain in his chest.

 

**Kuroo: …… are things going that badly?**

Oikawa: no no he just had 2 back out last minute

Oikawa: and i was already at the bar, soooo

Oikawa: u know me

Oikawa: gettin drunk and thinkin about grilled meat

**Kuroo: you're right that does sound like you**

**Kuroo: don't you have an early class tomorrow though?**

**Kuroo: you should come home**

Oikawa: ok mom

**Kuroo: hey I try**

**Kuroo: kenma says I need to start being more responsible**

**Kuroo: as a doctor and all that**

Oikawa: im 100% certain he said that so u wouldn't try and get him 2 do something fun

Bokuto: I was there!

Bokuto: it was right after kuroo begged him to do a keg stand

**Kuroo: you may be onto something**

**Kuroo: WELL once you need to grab a shoulder to cry on**

**Kuroo: you know where to find me, oikawa**

 

Tooru mulls over several snarky responses to that, but in the end opts to close the chat. Kuroo being sincere like this leaves a bad taste in his mouth, if only because he'd let it show how attached he had gotten to Iwa-chan. He's usually a little better at hiding that kind of thing. On the other hand, his friends have always been very perceptive.

He really doesn't need or _want_ to be coddled, though. He's managed long enough without other people’s support, and when anyone tries to comfort him it just tends to grate on his nerves.

Tooru glances one last time at the dating app, which at this point seems to be silently mocking him. After a moment, he picks up the glass of wine again and loses himself in its dry flavor.

 

\---------------------------------------

  

**_iwa_h:_ ** _sorry but i can’t make it_

**you:** yeah ok

**you:** i kinda figured that out myself

  

\---------------------------------------

 

“You will _not_ believe what happened in class today,” Bokuto says loudly, while Tooru only half listens to him. They're sitting outside the science department building, enjoying the afternoon sun and the convenience store buns Akaashi bought.

Bokuto has a hand on Akaashi’s shoulder as he continues his story—a move Tooru is pretty sure he isn't fully conscious of—with a grin that reflects his good mood. A mood that is almost the exact opposite of Tooru’s. He tries to shake himself out of it when he hears Akaashi speak, stuffing more bread in his mouth and biting his tongue in the process.

“That seems like it might be illegal,” Akaashi contemplates out loud, and Tooru realizes he's missed most of the conversation. He's very likely to hear it recounted to Kuroo later, though, so instead he nods along with Akaashi's observation. Bokuto takes in their responses and shrugs, unbothered.

Tooru’s eyes wander back to Bokuto’s hand, which has now drifted down to Akaashi’s waist. They're always like this—if not touching, hovering close to one another—but today Tooru can't stop noticing it. The ease in which they settle next to each other, the way Akaashi complements Bokuto’s boisterous conversation style, how they look like they've known each other their whole lives—

This is ridiculous. Tooru doesn't _do_ jealousy.

Well, maybe he does, but not when it comes to _romance._

He tries to pretend that he didn't briefly imagine a strong, tanned arm around his own waist, and fails miserably. How many times is he going to have to stop himself with these trains of thought? Sure, it was only yesterday that Iwa-chan stood him up, but Tooru is supposed to be an expert at getting over this kind of thing.

“Earth to Oikawa,” Bokuto says, mouth full. He's waving a hand in Tooru’s face, finally detached from Akaashi. “I think you left us there for a minute.”

Tooru blinks a few times and manages a smile. “Sorry, I just remembered I have a test this week and got distracted.” He hopes he sounds somewhat convincing.

Akaashi turns to him, eyes scrutinizing. For a second Tooru thinks he sees through his lie, but instead Akaashi nods shortly. “For our mathematics class, right? I was wondering if you were interested in studying together for it.”

Tooru sighs in relief, then actually processes what Akaashi said. He'd forgotten about that exam. It's probably a good thing, then, that he wouldn't be having any dates this week. Studying for math has a tendency to take up all of his time.

Silver linings, or something like that. Although Tooru would do just about anything right now to stop his brain from relating every thought to Iwa-chan.

“That would be great, honestly.” Akaashi’s one of the few people who can keep Tooru focused when it comes to school work. _As long as Bokuto isn't there_ , he reminds himself. He tries to think of a time where Bokuto will be in class or otherwise preoccupied. “Wednesday? At 3:00? You can come to the apartment, nobody else will be home.”

“Aw, why do you have to pick a time when I have my lab?” Bokuto huffs, petulant.

Akaashi pats his arm. “Because you're a distraction.”

Tooru laughs as Bokuto attempts to act indignant, though his expression looks more like that of a kicked puppy. “Akaashi! How could you say that?”

“It's very hard to focus on anything besides you when you're in the room.” Akaashi raises an eyebrow, the hint of a smile playing on his lips. Tooru looks away, feeling inexplicably embarrassed. Akaashi touches Bokuto’s arm again and brings his striking gaze back to Tooru. “That works for me.”

Tooru hums in return.

Hanging around these two is starting to feel like an exercise in patience, even though he knows rationally that they're not acting any different than usual. They aren't really being that blatant with their affection, but Tooru still feels like a ridiculous third wheel.

He’s probably doomed be a professional third wheel his whole life at this point. He should just put his application in now.

Akaashi looks down at his watch—of course he has one, his fashion choices are impeccable—and moves to stand. “It's time for my next class,” he says, then picks up his bag to leave Bokuto and Tooru to lounge in the sun.

Once he's gone, Bokuto stretches his arms above his head and sighs contentedly. Tooru finds himself wishing for that level of peace. Bokuto is still smiling lazily, in stark contrast to the thoughts tumbling around Tooru’s head.

“I _really_ want to have a barbecue now! Think we should plan for one on Friday?”

Tooru picks at a stray hangnail. “I don't see why not.”

This is what his life is becoming, isn't it—a series of get-togethers where he's the only one single. Okay, that might be a little dramatic, but he can’t help it.

At least his friends won't stand him up. Probably.

Finding inner peace would be a lot easier if Iwa-chan’s face would stop popping into his thoughts every other minute. It’s while Tooru’s pondering a better way to combat this that Bokuto chooses to bring it up.

“So were you able to reschedule with that guy you’ve been talking to? You said he didn’t make it last night, yeah?”

“No. I don’t really know if it’s worth it,” Tooru manages. He scratches the back of his head, skin starting to itch again. He tries for a little more honesty. “He didn’t respond to my last messages.”

“What? Of course it’d be worth it! He seemed really nice!” Bokuto pauses to think. “Well, I guess I don’t know how nice he is since you didn’t tell us much. But still! You should just try texting him again, see what happens!”

Well. It couldn’t hurt, Tooru supposes. Though it’d be best not to get his hopes up.

“I’ll… think about it,” he promises. Bokuto could be pretty convincing.

“And then invite him to the barbecue!”

“One step at a time, Bokuto.”

 

\---------------------------------------

 

**you:** if u still want to get together sometime hmu

**you:** i kno ur busy though so no prob if u cant

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! This chapter was a little shorter than the first to make way for the third chapter -  
>  which should be up in less than a week if all goes according to plan. Leave me a comment if you enjoyed it (or anything in particular)!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got this chapter up sooner than I thought! I'm really excited to share this one, so I hope you enjoy reading it!

Tooru should've expected Iwa-chan to keep ignoring him.

It's Wednesday now, and he and Akaashi are sitting in the living room, neck-deep in practice equations. The minutes are dragging by, interrupted occasionally by a comment from Akaashi or a sigh from Tooru.

Akaashi has a calming presence, but that also means a lack of excitement in their study date. For Tooru, this makes it seem like time is moving in slow motion—as if he’ll be stuck in this loop of numbers and letters forever. Why did he decide to go into a STEM field, again?

A chime from his phone is a welcome distraction. His breath catches in his throat when he notices it's from the dating app—

But not a message from Iwa-chan.

Just some useless notification about updating his profile or something.

Tooru swears quietly and unlocks his phone with more force than necessary. Akaashi looks up from his notes, but unlike Tooru’s nosey roommates, refrains from questioning him.

Thank god for that, since Akaashi doesn't really deserve to be snapped at. Still, he'd really like a place to direct his rising temper.

In a split-second decision, he deletes his profile. Then the app.

The pressure that has been making a home in the back of his skull unravels, and he feels a spark of relief run through him. His whole body relaxes, the tension easing away. Getting rid of the source of his anxiety was probably for the best, then. There might be a bit of regret to accompany it all, but he'll be damned if he lets that get in the way of this little victory.

“Oikawa-san?” Akaashi murmurs. Tooru’s head snaps up, worried he's about to be interrogated. “Can you tell me how you got your answer for number fifteen? I need to double check my work.”

Tooru nods, grateful. He grabs his notebook and hands it to Akaashi, standing up as he does so. “You can have it for now. I’m taking a break. Want any coffee? Or tea?”

“Tea is fine,” Akaashi responds, already absorbed in Tooru’s notes.

The walk to the kitchen is dizzying, and Tooru isn't sure if it's because he stood up too quickly or due to the rush of emotions his mind is trying to parse. He makes it to the sink without sorting out any of his thoughts. At least it’s an improvement from his misery earlier this week.

He takes his time getting the materials to make tea in an effort to clear his mind. Halfway through filling the electric kettle with water the sink sputters, spraying water everywhere and then shutting off completely. He tries the knobs a couple times before giving up. A quick check under the sink also yields no answers. Tooru hangs his head and sighs.

Yeah, that seems about right for the kind of week he's been having. 

Instead of bothering with the half-filled kettle, Tooru grabs two coffee milks from the fridge and carries them back to the living room. Akaashi is right where he left him, hunched over the notebook with a frown on his face.

“Well, the sink just died. So unless you're handy with a wrench, we’ll have to make do with these,” Tooru says, trying to keep his voice light. _So much for keeping things in this apartment from breaking_.

Akaashi shrugs a shoulder and takes the drink. “I'm not picky.” He opens it with a pop and watches as Tooru sits back down in his chair. “Nor am I good with a wrench. You'll just have to give your landlord a call. He's nice, I don't think it'll be much of a bother for him.”

“You've met our landlord too?” Tooru snorts. “How am I the only one who hasn't?”

“Bad timing.” Akaashi shrugs again. “Now’s your chance.”

Tooru grumbles and finds his phone again. “I don't think I ever saved his number.” There wasn’t really any reason to do so before now. He locates the group chat icon and taps it open.

 

Oikawa: hate to be the bearer of bad news

**Kuroo: hmm nothing new**

Oikawa: shush im talking

Oikawa: sinks broke

Oikawa: someone gimme the landlords # so i can deal with this

**Kuroo: I can just shoot him a text if you want**

Oikawa: oh sure that works

Oikawa: ill be home tomorrow if he stops by then

**Kuroo: cool**

**Kuroo: I'll send you a text with his number in case you end up needing it**

Oikawa: ty <3

Oikawa: also remind me what his full name is

**Kuroo: you are literally hopeless**

**Kuroo: iwaizumi hajime**

**Kuroo: you're welcome**

Oikawa: ur a lifesaver

 

Tooru sees the text with the landlord’s number a moment later. He hurries to add it to his phone—just in case. He is _not_ going to deal with a broken sink for more than a day. Somehow it feels like a personal attack against him, like the world just wants to throw some salt on his wounds and rub it in with a bit more force than necessary.

_Maybe_ he’s being a little overdramatic. Or maybe he’s being just the exact right amount of dramatic and anyone who suggests otherwise can shut up.

He gets another text from Kuroo not long after the first.

 

[from: Kuroo] **hey he should be coming around noon tomorrow**

[from: Kuroo] **I let him know that one of us should be around**

[from: Kuroo] **hope that works for you**

 

Tooru hums, relieved, though at the same time he’s also somewhat peeved. He isn't sure he's ready to make a good impression on the landlord while feeling this shitty. Whatever. At least he doesn’t have class tomorrow. It’s the little things.

 

[to: Kuroo] thanks kuroo-chan~

[to: Kuroo] ur the best ;)

[from: Kuroo] **love you too babe**

[from: Kuroo] **also hey**

[from: Kuroo] **try not to hit on him he's our landlord**

 

Tooru makes a confused noise, startling Akaashi. What, is he that hot? Does Kuroo have absolutely no faith in him? Well. He's not really feeling up to flirting with anybody this week anyway.

 

[to: Kuroo] ok ;) ill be good

[to: Kuroo] ;) ;) ;)

 

He sets his phone down in favor of picking up his pen. His thoughts are still scrambled, but fortunately he’s kept any rising anxiety at bay. He’s fine. Everything is fine.

The room is still silent outside of pencil scratches and Tooru’s insistent need to tap his foot against the table leg. He scribbles on the edge of his paper, making an attempt to bring his focus back to equations. The quiet is really starting to annoy him now.  

Perfect timing, then, for Bokuto to burst into the apartment, an exhausted looking Kenma in tow.

“What'd I miss?” Bokuto asks, setting down his bag and flopping onto the couch next to Akaashi. Meanwhile, Kenma finds a place on the floor to sit and mess around on his tablet.

“Literally the three most boring hours of my life,” Tooru groans in answer. He twirls the pen in his hand around a couple times, thankful he can stop thinking about math. “No offense, Akaashi.”

“None taken.” Akaashi blinks at him. He doesn't say it, but Tooru is pretty sure Akaashi hates the subject just as much. At any rate, he's already set his work aside in favor of leaning back into the couch cushions. It took literally ten seconds after Bokuto appeared for the two of them to cuddle up—not that Tooru’s counting or anything.

_What in the world is wrong with me?_

“Also,” Tooru says, interrupting his own line of thought. “If you didn't see in the chat, the sink stopped working, so I’m taking one for the team and sticking home tomorrow to make sure it gets fixed.”

“Yeah! I heard you'll finally be meeting Iwaizumi-san tomorrow!”

“It's really not all that exciting, Bokuto.”

“Well! I don't know, I think you’re going to like him a lot.” Bokuto sits up and grins like he's remembering something. “We all get along with him so well that he'd probably be part of our friend group if we weren't, you know, tenants who have to pay him every month.”

Both Akaashi and Kenma nod to that, which is a little surprising. It’s especially hard to find people that Kenma approves of, much less “gets along with.” That's promising. Maybe tomorrow won't be completely terrible.

It's not like his week could get any worse anyway.

“I'll keep that in mind.”

The conversation moves on from there, giving Tooru a reason to stop listening and try to figure out why it feels like he's missing something. Some kind of connection he didn't pick up on, the type of thing he's usually very good at puzzling out. It sits in the back of his mind for the rest of the evening.

 

  
It isn't until Tooru is settled into bed hours later, comfortable and sleepy, when a thought hits him. It feels like an epiphany—one he _probably_ should've had a lot earlier. His eyes blink open in the dark room and he reaches for his phone in a hurry, almost dropping it in the process.

 

Oikawa: GUYS HOLY FUCK

 

He’s about to type more into the chat in explanation, then decides against it. He can tell his roommates later, and it’d probably be best to confirm things tomorrow first. If he’s right about this, everything makes _a lot_ more sense.

It’s _stupid_ , in his unbiased opinion, but it makes sense.

Tooru tosses his phone onto the nightstand and shuffles back under the covers. The soft duvet envelopes him, cocoon-like, but it’s hard to get comfortable again. He’s wide awake now, he can’t help it.

Turns out meeting the landlord was going to be _so much_ more interesting than he first thought.

 

\---------------------------------------

 

**Kuroo: .....**

**Kuroo: oikawa what the hell**

**Kuroo: you sent this in the middle of the night**

_Kenma: leave it Kuro_

_Kenma: you know it's not worth it_

**Kuroo: kenma you don't understand I have to know**

**Kuroo: OIKAWA**

**Kuroo: TELL ME**

_Kenma: good luck with that_

 

\---------------------------------------

 

The wait for Iwaizumi to show up feels like an eternity, exacerbated by the fact that Tooru has been trying to study more in the meantime. The numbers on his paper are blurring together as his eyes go unfocused, thoughts on a completely different subject.

He's tried to mentally prepare himself for this meeting all morning, but has only gotten so far as coming up with some snarky comments to use. The petty side of him that he's tried to push down all week is coming back in full force. Maybe not the best to direct something like that at a landlord, but this is a _special case_.

Tooru chews on a piece of toast absentmindedly, trying to think of the best way to approach the situation. He's feeling pretty confident that Iwaizumi is indeed his **iwa_h** , and he's equally confident that he’ll say something stupid once Iwaizumi is here.

He supposes the best thing to do at first is to disregard the elephant in the room altogether.

At the same moment he glances at the clock hanging in the kitchen, Tooru hears a knock on the front door. He jumps, even though he's been anticipating it for the past hour. It’s okay—he’s got a plan, sort of. He can do this.

He makes his way to the door, molding his face into a casual smile and forcing his body language into something that—hopefully—appears relaxed. His hands fumble on the doorknob, but he opens it without too many problems.

“Hello,” Tooru says to the man outside the door. It comes out as more of a purr than he intended. “Iwaizumi-san, I presume?”

Iwaizumi nods, a quick motion as he gives Tooru a once over. There’s just the hint of a frown on his face. He seems to hesitate for a few seconds before he sticks out a hand in greeting.

“I'm Oikawa Tooru, the new subleaser. You can just call me Oikawa. It's nice to meet you finally,” Tooru says as he shakes his hand. His smile feels tight, but at least it's staying on his face where he wants it.

Iwaizumi's hand is warm and solid, and Tooru hates letting go of it almost immediately. While he's a little shorter than Tooru—which is actually kind of a surprise—he's still broad shouldered, toned, and, well, just as gorgeous as he was in his profile pictures. Tooru’s suspicions were absolutely correct, but that still hadn't prepared him to deal with the arresting gaze Iwaizumi has aimed in his direction.

Thank god he had figured this out beforehand, or else he would've been completely useless facing Iwaizumi. As it is, he's struggling to create proper sentences in his head. It seems Iwaizumi is having the same issue.

Tooru’s throat works while he tries to come up with something else to say, words refusing to form, but Iwaizumi beats him to it.

“Glad to meet you as well. Can I come in to take a look at the sink?” Iwaizumi raises the toolbox in his left hand up, glancing at it and then peering around Tooru into the apartment.

Tooru realizes he's being rude a moment too late and steps aside to allow Iwaizumi into the apartment. If he wants to have any control in this interaction, maybe he should start by acting as a more gracious host.

He turns sideways in the hallway to let Iwaizumi past him, bumping his elbow on the wall in the process. It smarts, but he grits his teeth and turns it into a grin when Iwaizumi glances at him curiously. While Tooru is trying his best at nonchalance, Kuroo is in the back of his head reminding him how poor his acting skills really are. He hopes Iwaizumi won’t notice.

He’s doing a bang-up job of pretending he doesn’t recognize Tooru, though, so it’s not like it matters anyway.

_Two can play at that game, Iwa-chan._

Iwaizumi toes his shoes off and follows Tooru further into the apartment. He doesn’t say anything else, and the silence is deafening. Before Tooru starts speaking, the only noise in the apartment is their muted steps on the wooden flooring.

“So, this is our kitchen—” Tooru gestures, falling back on the grand tour routine he usually gives to his visitors, then stops. “—or, well. You knew that already, obviously. It’s been some time since you’ve been here though, right? We’ve decorated a bit since then. I think the sink is the only thing out of commission, so you only have to deal with that, thank god. Do you—need anything?”

Tooru knows he’s babbling. He can’t help but fill the quiet, itching to keep Iwaizumi’s attention in some way. It’s kind of working, he thinks, since Iwaizumi has at least been acknowledging him with little nods and side glances as he talks.

Iwaizumi shrugs in response to his last question and moves to fiddle with the faucet, and Tooru tries not to stare as his shirt stretches tight over his back. He bites his lip and looks at the floor instead. The mottled stains on the pale tile distract him only momentarily, before he’s bringing his eyes back up at the sound of Iwaizumi saying something.

“I think I’m good here. Looks like an easy fix. Probably.” Iwaizumi is squatting down now, peering into the cabinet underneath the sink. His head and upper torso are obscured by the cupboard, muffling his voice. “Give me an hour and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Sure. Yeah,” Tooru answers, casual.

He has no intention of leaving now that he knows Iwaizumi is staying here for awhile. There’s counter space open for him to lean against, which gives him a nice view of Iwaizumi working. Tooru has had a miserable enough week (no thanks to **iwa_h** over here), so he’s going to let himself enjoy _this_ at the very least.

“Anyway.” There’s no way Tooru is going to let Iwaizumi win at this game of pretend. Maybe he’s not a good actor, but he has plenty of practice in pettiness. “I’m shocked we haven’t met before now. Everyone else in this city apparently knows you. What have you been so busy with?”

Iwaizumi lets out a long breath as he rummages through the tool box at his side. He turns back towards the sink’s underbelly, wrench in hand. Tooru can see the tension building in Iwaizumi’s strong shoulders. It annoys him how badly he wants to reach out and _touch._

“I travel sometimes. For my job,” Iwaizumi says finally. He’s seemingly engrossed with the jumble of pipes in the cupboard, but he continues anyway, “I don’t make my living as a landlord. Usually I’m not out of town for so long, but my boss needed me to work in another city for awhile.”

Tooru hums, unsure of how to respond. This is devolving quickly into small-talk territory—not exactly what he was aiming for. Iwaizumi is surprisingly good at turning an intentionally awkward question into normal conversation. Time to hit a little harder, then.

“Ah. Well, it’s a _pity_ that our schedules mismatched like that, we could’ve met a lot sooner.”

“That’s true, I had to leave right around the time you started subleasing. I’m sorry if I inconvenienced you in any way.”

“ _Oh_ no, not at all. Although it _would_ have been nice to set up a time after you came back from work, since I hadn’t met you yet. When did you say you got into town again?”

“I didn’t.”

“No, I think I remember you mentioning something. Sunday, was it? Evening?” Tooru pushes himself off the counter to stand behind Iwaizumi and watch his work more closely. Or rather—to watch and gauge his reactions.

He feels a little twinge of satisfaction watching Iwaizumi deflate, his hand paused on the tool box and expression turned stern. It seems that he’s not ready to concede quite yet, though, because he grabs a pair of pliers and turns away before answering.

“You’re right, I was back on Sunday. I had some things to take care of when I got home, of course, since I’ve been out of town for so long.” His words sound tired. He taps the pliers against one of the pipes and looks up at Tooru, who has his hands in his pockets and a questioning eyebrow raised. “The sink just happened to break before we could set a time to meet.”

“A happy coincidence,” Tooru says airily.

“Yeah.”

Tooru sniffs and walks over to the fridge. He has to change tactics, evidently, if he wants to get under Iwaizumi’s skin. He’s still pissed about the whole situation—but at the same time he’s still kind of interested in trying to make _something_ work between them.

“Would you like a drink? Obviously I can’t offer you water, but we’ve got soda, milk, juice—”

“Soda is fine,” Iwaizumi grunts as he pulls himself back out of the cupboard to sit back on his heels.

Tooru gets a good look at him before turning back to the fridge—there’s sweat beginning to form on his forehead and his expression is endearingly determined. _God he’s cute. That is so not fair._ Maybe Tooru can flirt with him a bit before dealing the final blow. You know, for posterity’s sake.

And because disobeying Kuroo is fun.

“Here you go,” Tooru says as he passes a can to Iwaizumi. He holds onto it for a moment too long, allowing their fingers to brush and taking in the warmth Iwaizumi is exuding. Tooru hopes it affects Iwaizumi the way it does him. “So. Iwaizumi-san.” He settles back on his perch at the counter, another can of soda in hand. “What do you do, outside the landlord business? It must be fun traveling for work.”

Somehow that topic hadn’t come up before in their text exchanges. It’s possible that Tooru’s tendency to overwhelm conversations with talk about himself has something to do with that.

“I don’t travel _that_ much. I’m just a pharmacist, but sometimes I have to go to conferences or— like in this case—I’m asked to help train people in other regions.”

Iwaizumi bends down to keep working on the sink, giving Tooru the opportunity to check him out again. The image of Iwaizumi in a white lab coat pops into his imagination, and he covers his grin with a sip of his drink.

“You’re right though, I do enjoy seeing other places,” Iwaizumi adds. He grabs for a few more things out of his toolbox.

“I’m jealous. It’s my new dream to travel as much as possible, see new things, enjoy life.” The tone Tooru is going for is _indifference,_ but he’s pretty sure it comes off as wistful. With any luck, Iwaizumi won’t catch on to it.

“New dream? What dream did it replace?”

Tooru startles, embarrassed. Of course Iwaizumi would pick up on that. “Oh, um. Well. I used to have a plan to play on the national volleyball team, but, you know. Life kind of happened.” He feels his knee throb painfully at the mention of the topic, but he doesn’t bring it up. He’s grateful when Iwaizumi doesn’t ask.

Instead, Iwaizumi pokes his head out of the cupboard in surprise. “You played too? I did in high school and part of university. I still play in pickup games every once and awhile. Wing spiker.”

“Setter.” Tooru smirks. “Wow, we have so much in common,” he lilts, teasing. “Er, well, you and the rest of this house.”

Iwaizumi breathes out a chuckle and shakes his head. “How did you all even find each other?” It’s more of a rhetorical question than anything else.

“Fate,” responds Tooru, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Iwaizumi shakes his head again. It looks like he’s already finishing up with his handiwork. He backs out and stands up to test the faucet. The water runs freely, and Iwaizumi nods his head in approval. He looks satisfied with his work, but Tooru isn’t ready to let him leave just yet.

He hasn’t even had an opportunity to properly work his charms on Iwaizumi. _Nor have I been able to properly confront him_ , Tooru reminds himself.

“Looks like it was an easy fix,” Iwaizumi says.

“Did you want to do a quick check of the apartment before you go?”

Iwaizumi looks back at Tooru and blinks, clear hesitation on his face. Tooru does his best to look innocent, as if a number of inappropriate thoughts hadn’t been parading through his imagination the last half hour—or right now, for that matter.

“Sure.” Iwaizumi snaps the lid on his toolbox shut and sets it on the countertop. “Lead the way, then.”

Tooru takes him down the hall to the bedrooms and shared bathroom, making small talk as he goes. Iwaizumi takes a quick look into each room while Tooru leans on the wall.

“So, I have to ask,” Tooru says, curiosity winning out, and Iwaizumi eyes him, wary. “What made you decide to become a pharmacist, of all things?”

Iwaizumi does another one of those breathy laughs, scratching the back of his neck and glancing into Tooru’s bedroom. It’s a relief that Tooru actually remembered to clean it this morning in his effort to make things look presentable.

“I wanted to go into the medical field. Become a doctor. Kinesiologist. Something in that area.” Iwaizumi turns to head back to the living room, letting Tooru follow him this time. “Turns out I’m better with memorizing medicines and prescriptions more than anything else.”

“Well, that takes a lot of work as is,” Tooru muses, thinking about the amount of memorization required for his classes—and how much it doesn’t come naturally to him. “You must be very good at what you do if they’re having you go places to train other people.”

Iwaizumi gives a half shrug in response, a small smile on his face and something akin to pride in his eyes. Tooru drinks the expression in while he can. “I like what I do,” is all Iwaizumi says. He runs his fingers over a spot on the living room wall where paint is beginning to chip. Tooru watches as he scratches lightly at it with short-cropped fingernails before moving on to take in the rest of the space.

“I like the way you’ve decorated,” he comments.

Tooru laughs, brimming with self-satisfaction. “I told Bokuto and Kuroo that if they didn’t decorate before I moved in, then _I_ would.”

The strung lights were his idea, and the star maps plastering the walls are his pride and joy—second only to the old authentic B-movie posters framed and hanging in his room. He thinks it makes the living room more sophisticated and less like a college boy’s bachelor pad, though the wine stains on the couch cushions might beg to differ. At least they’re wine stains, and not… anything else.

“I’ll admit I’m impressed.” Iwaizumi nods at nothing in particular, giving the room a final once-over. “This place is a lot more put together than when I last saw it.”

“I’m glad _somebody_ likes what I’ve done with the place. Bokuto isn’t a fan, you should’ve seen what he tried to convince me to put up instead.” Tooru waits for Iwaizumi to turn towards him then leans in, conspiratorial. “ _Baywatch posters._ He almost got Kuroo to fight for it too. Thank god I have Akaashi and Kenma in my corner to knock some sense into those two.”

Iwaizumi laughs out loud this time, a bright sound that makes Tooru’s heart skip and leaves him wanting to chase after it. There’s a blissful moment where his thoughts run in double time, grasping for ways he can make Iwaizumi laugh like that again, before he remembers the situation and who he’s talking to—how the fun he’s having doesn’t quite drown out the hurt.

Discontent flares up in him again, and he decides to take the chance now while Iwaizumi’s defenses are down.

“You know, you’re a lot of fun to talk to. You should come around here more often, Iwa-chan!”

Iwaizumi’s cheerful expression closes off at the nickname, but he doesn’t take the bait, just makes a noncommittal noise in response. _Just a little bit more._ Tooru remembers Bokuto’s words from yesterday and feels inspired.

“Oh! By the way, Iwa-chan, the roomies and I are having a barbeque on Friday. Why don’t you join us? As thanks for fixing our sink so quickly,” Tooru says, managing to make it sound something like a thinly veiled threat. He’s pretty sure Iwaizumi doesn’t want to deal with him acting like this in front of the other tenants.

Iwaizumi sighs, defeated. He looks away from Tooru, mouth in a tight line like he’s trying to make a decision on what to say.

“Look,” he responds at last, once again trapping Tooru under his unflinching gaze. Tooru feels like he’s being reprimanded even before Iwaizumi continues. “I didn’t want to make a big deal out of this. I hope you can understand where I’m coming from. Some level of professionalism needs to be maintained here.” 

Tooru crosses his arms and raises an unimpressed eyebrow. He hopes it’s enough to get his point across, because the words he wants to say are currently stuck in his throat.

“And please,” Iwaizumi sighs again. “Don’t call me that.”

“Call you what? Iwa-chan?” Tooru asks, taking a swing at the low-hanging fruit. He expects Iwaizumi to retort in some way, but instead he just looks disappointed, like a teacher who’s sick of him fooling around in class. _You’re not even that older than me_ , he thinks resentfully. “I honestly don’t see the problem here. So what if you’re my landlord? Or is there something wrong with _me?”_

Tooru’s not sure why he asked that, because he doesn’t really want an answer. But it’s a question he’s been asking himself for years—lately a lot more frequently—so it comes out of his mouth anyway.

Iwaizumi looks him up and down, frowning. “No,” he says. “The only thing wrong with you is that you’re my tenant. I’m sorry you don’t understand the position I’m in, why I don’t feel comfortable pursuing anything here. So, again. Sorry.”

Tooru scoffs. Why the hell does this feel like a breakup? There’s virtually no history between the two of them. Still, Tooru can feel the pressure rising behind his eyes, the way they get when he’s frustrated by something. Or when he knows he’s not going to win.

He needs more time to form a plan. In the meantime, he can’t stop himself from blurting things out.

“It’s not like you’re my teacher or boss or whatever. What, you think I’ll try to take advantage? Not pay you rent?”

“Of course not—”

“You don’t want it to be awkward if I’m a bad lay? Is that it?”

“Oikawa.”

Tooru closes his mouth with a _clack._ Sure, he’d told Iwaizumi he could call Tooru that, but hearing it said for the first time—and in such a stern manner—is a little jarring. It’s enough to shut him up for a minute, forcing him to mull over his next words more carefully.

“Can we,” he begins, swallowing down his pride. His voice wavers for a second before he goes on. “Can we be friends, at least? Everyone else in this apartment seems to consider you one.”

Iwaizumi pauses before he answers, tapping a staccato beat on his thigh and staring Tooru down. Tooru momentarily feels like a bug under a giant magnifying glass, in helpless anticipation of judgment. He struggles to meet Iwaizumi’s eyes while he waits.

_Come on, give me this much._

“I would be a lot more comfortable with that,” Iwaizumi says. Okay, fine—Tooru can work with this. It’s a step in the right direction at least. Iwaizumi gathers his things and readies to leave. “Now if we’re done here, I have to get back to work.”

“R-right. Yeah.”

Iwaizumi is already in the front hallway by the time Tooru says this, quietly putting his shoes back on. Tooru follows behind him nervously. The urge to fight has completely left him, replaced with a desire to keep Iwaizumi here. He knows it’s too late for that—so instead, he watches Iwaizumi give him a final nod and open the door to go.

“It was—good to meet you,” Tooru manages. He doesn’t know what else to say, and if he did, he probably wouldn’t be able to get it out.

Iwaizumi gives him a contemplative look. “Say hello to your roommates for me, if you would. And remind them that rent’s due next week.” His mouth forms a kind of lopsided smile, one that looks _really_ good on him. One that almost looks like an apology. “Until next time, I suppose.”

Then he closes the door, leaving Tooru alone in an empty apartment with only the regret coursing through his veins as company.  

 

\---------------------------------------

 

Oikawa: sink is fixed

**_Kenma: thank god_ **

Oikawa: y do u care

Oikawa: u don’t even live here

**Kuroo: hey watch it that’s my honey bun you’re talking to**

**_Kenma: ..........._ **

**_Kenma: I’m leaving the chat_ **

**Kuroo: aw puddin you know I’ll just add you back in**

 

_Kenma has left the chat_

 

Kuroo has added Kenma to the chat!

 

\---------------------------------------

  

[to: Kenma] hey kenma wanna switch apartments?

[from: Kenma] ** _wtf no_**

 

\---------------------------------------

  

_~ Super Secret Bro Chat ~_

Bokuto: heyyyyy so

Bokuto: any idea why oikawa’s so mopey rn?

**Kuroo: hasn’t he been mopey the last couple days**

Bokuto: hm yeah but this is like new levels of mope bro

Bokuto: like emergency milk bread levels

**Kuroo: damn**

**Kuroo: I’ll see what I can do**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who guessed right about why Iwaizumi stood Oikawa up? I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise so I only left a few hints, but if you go back to chapter two you can see the exact moment Iwaizumi realizes this is a bad idea :P
> 
> Thanks for reading, and sorry again for the angst. Things will turn around for these boys. Probably.


End file.
